A Brooke Tucker Christmas found on “A Traditional Shabby Pink & Snow Diorama”

Christmas Tree Timeline

The Christmas tree has been a German tradition since the 17th century. But many ancient civilizations decorated evergreen trees and plants as a symbol of eternal life, deriving comfort from this symbol of eternal life during the long winter months. I hope this timeline helps when decorating your miniature for the Holidays.

Ancient Rome

Holly was an important part of the Roman solstice ceremony known as “Saturnalia.” It was believed that the red berries would ward off lightning and evil spirits. However, it had to be carried into the house by a male, as the berries are only on the male plant. Ivy was twined in the holly as a symbol of the 2 halves of divinity.

Druid priests harvested another evergreen, mistletoe, from sacred oak trees on the fifth day after the new moon following the winter solstice. Norse warriors met under the mistletoe to declare a truce for the day. (more…)

The Witch’s Shack, a hallowe’en miniature for my children.

The Witch’s Shack is an early project commissioned by my children to enhance their Halloween experience. It has the usual ghoulish accessories, but I like to personalize my projects. Pictures of scary ancestors would be good, but not having any ghosts in the family, I decided to have bottles of potion labeled with the titles of oft-told stories trotted out at every family gathering, like:

(more…)

1/12 scale Hallowe’en decorations

Dollhouse Halloween Decorations. Double bubble, toil and trouble! Fire burn and cauldron bubble! Time to bring those decorations down from the dollhouse attic! This box is overflowing with 1/12th scale non-removable Halloween items. It’s handcrafted and sturdy. Oh, and don’t forget the eye of newt and toe of frog!

Susan